What is good art?

Let’s get one thing out of the way right up top. There is good art and bad art. 100%. This is super different from style, preference and taste. And as an art consultant it is not my job to tell someone what to like, but to present them with good art that fits their esthetic. Whether or not I like it or would buy it. If you’re finding art without the help of an art consultant you need to know your personal style. If you are not working with a consultant, I recommend inundating yourself with as much different art in one go as you can stand. Take note of your reactions and try to pick apart what worked for you and what didn’t. Once you’re clear on your taste, the next step is becoming familiar with whether or not it’s good art.

So here are a few criteria I personally use to determine whether art is good.

Process

Not everyone has a process that you can learn about or use to gauge whether they have true skill. But a lot of folks do. I often find social media to be helpful for this, and I think this is especially true with abstract art. Learning about an artist’s process can help you make an assessment of their skill and capacity. You don’t really need to know anything about how art gets made to appreciate this. You can usually tell in the way they talk about it, the way they move about a work, the dedication in their process. This can be really intuitive too. Some art is highly minimalist so it can feel challenging to figure out how much work and study and practice has gone into it. Listening for devotion in the way the speak about their work is a really lovely way to learn about their process and assess the quality. This takes practice for sure. There is a learning curve. But come at this with curiosity and ask questions about process and in time you’ll learn how to distinguish.

Process also leads me to the human element in art. In an age of AI art the humanness of a piece feels increasingly important, and truthfully difficult. I really like imperfections and places where I can see the human component. This doesn’t have to be overt, it can include things like paint streaks, texture variations. I am probably drawn to self portraits for this reason. I like to know the artist is there.

Evocation

Good art always does something to me. It absolutely has to hit an emotion. It does not matter to me what that emotion is. We qualify emotions by good and bad, but the truth in art is evocative=good. It absolutely, without a single shadow of a doubt has to move me. These aren’t ranked, but if they were, this would be the most important one.

See note above on style. There can be a difference between good art, and art I like and want to buy. I personally do not want to own art to display in my home that is repulsive or frightening. But I can appreciate that art as good art for its capacity to pull on my emotions in whatever direction it pulls. So… does it make you sad, thoughtful, stilled, tender, joyful, laugh, pause, feel awe, wonder, anger. Art is so emotional. So to me, if it moves something within me, anything within me, it usually feels pretty safe to qualify it as good.

Body of Work

I don’t always think this is necessary. But if you’re struggling to understand if you think a piece is good or not, it can be helpful to look at the artist’s whole portfolio. Not to say, well the rest is bad therefore this is bad, or anything like that. Rather, it gives you an understanding of what they are working with. Can you trace themes that are interesting to them? Can you sense their devotion and drive? Can you pick up on parts of conversations started in one piece and finished in the next? Is there nuance, dynamism, or complexity?

And actually…

Complexity

I am a really big fan of nuance. Not necessarily in subject matter or color or anything like that. I just don’t want art to be obvious and flat. I need it to have ambiguity, subtlety, layers. I prefer when it’s unexpected, unusual, peculiar. Do you see how none of this is actually describing how it looks? It’s really about how much of a story you can imagine from it, how complex the thought process seems (even when the work is a minimalist single line), how deep the emotions run for the artist.

All of this takes practice to pick up on. It takes looking at a ton of art. Sometimes, if you’re choosing not to work with a consultant, if means making mistakes with pieces you buy. That’s okay. It is okay to buy a piece, and down the line realize it’s not very good. Embrace the learning curve, knowing that your tastes and expertise will evolve over time.

This is incomplete.

The truth is, it’s nearly impossible to say what makes good art. It is a level of discernment you come to over time and with a great deal of exposure to art. But eventually you’ll come to it. This is why I *always* recommend collectors keep a journal of their experience. Not only to track who you’ve spoken to and what you’ve learned, but also to see how your own knowledge and expertise has grown and deepened over time.

—Delia

Did you know??

DLAC offers an unpretentious approach to art collecting. We have designed services that deliberately go against the way art has historically been talked about and collected. 

Art should expand your personal power. And believe it or not, a curated collection of art is so much more affordable than you’ve been led to believe. We are going to establish your vibe so that when you walk into your home you are completely in your element.

If that is an experience you want, I invite you to fill out an application.